Connection, Synergy, Community

Are You Prepared to Pay the Price… Sacrifice vs. Success?

It is usually said that success comes at a price… yes, no? It may not always be in monetary terms, it could come in form of relationships, overcoming fear and rejection, leaving your comfort zone, working hard etc. Whatever the case may be, you will find there is always an opportunity cost to one’s desired dreams and goals, and only individually can we decide whether the opportunity cost of fulfilling our dreams or achieving the success we desire is worthwhile.

I remember facilitating a session on John Maxwell’s book “Put Your Dream to the Test” where he shared 10 ‘Dream Test’ questions, with one of the questions being ‘Am I willing to pay the price for my dream?’; at the time, I was faced with the decision of taking a risk to pursue one of my dreams that would cost me a pretty large sum of money, and with no guarantee that it would pay off. Upon deliberating on how much I was ‘willing to pay for the price of my dream’, albeit remote, I took the plunge.

I would love to tell you that the risk paid off, but no, it did not turn out as expected in the long run. Did I regret the cost? Absolutely not! Because the insight and experience I gained from taking that risk pushed me closer to fulfilling my dreams. Had I not taken the risk, I would have been none the wiser, and would still be in limbo thinking ‘What if’, ‘Maybe’, ‘Perhaps’ and wasting my time.

What dreams of yours are demanding a sacrifice? Some familiar scenarios we face include;

Personal Development and Further Education – Perhaps you are considering a masters, certification or courses in order to further develop yourself, career or business. Pause and consider what the sacrifice will be i.e. the time required to attend classes or study, or the financial investment. Weigh the sacrifices vs. the rewards. One of the questions you need to answer is “what is the expected return on investment?” Consider the sacrifices, as well as the potential returns to help you make the right decision.

Leisure Time – I dare say that nobody at the top of their game got there without working some long hours, and their social life suffering somewhat. The client is oblivious to the fact you’ve been working hard all day and need a break. Neither is the competitor going to put the launch of their product on hold so you can take a well deserved vacation. Success can come at a price, which may include forfeiting time with friends, abundance of time to bond with family or having a social life, but usually only for a period of time. Unfortunately we can’t always eat our cake and have it, sometimes something has to give. But at the same time, wise choices need to be made for work-life balance.

Financial Setbacks – This I call stooping to conquer. We could be faced with the ‘opportunity’ of taking a pay cut to get into the career of our dreams or launch our businesses. When presented with this option, it takes foresight to see it for what it truly is, the opportunity it presents, and believing the pay-off will be greater in the long run.

All in all, there is seed time and harvest time. A time to make sacrifices and a time to reap the harvest. It will not always be about sacrificing (sowing), and a time will come where we reap the fruits of our sacrifice. However, before you make that sacrifice or pay the price, pause and reflect to consider if it is worth the price.